Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Thank you.....

For all your prayers. My granddad has passed. God answered our prayers and we are giving Him the glory as he took my granddad quickly. I will be gone for a few days as I have the honor of preaching his funeral. What an amazing life he lived. I love you grandpa and will see you one day soon.

Death...what a subject huh?



The picture is of my granddad this past summer.

Well it was one of those Holiday weekends where there was some fun but also some tough times. It was great to spend some time with my wife and to do a little fishing but also I had a heavy heart and still do. My granddad is on his death bed right now. We are praying for the Lord to take him quickly. As I have thought about this over the weekend you can see where my thought for todays devotion comes from.

Death. Do you ever think about it much? I have always found it interesting that at different stages of our life we have different views of death. For instance when we are young we think we are invincible and we are going to live forever. In our middle ages we move to someday I probably am going to die but it is a long way off. Then as we get into out older ages we know we are going to die and wonder how long until it happens!

God's Word tells us we do have a limited time:

Psalm 90:10 (New King James Version)


10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

I am amazed every day by the accuracy of God's word even today. 70-80 years for most is about it. My granddad is 97 so he has beat the law of averages. I often say I don't think I want to live that long in the world we live in today. To go and be with the Lord around 80 will be a blessing. God's word also tells us that 120 is the limit. We won't live pass this age...do you know anybody who has?

Genesis 6:3 (New King James Version)

3 And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive[a] with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Now let me be clear on this....I am talking of our bodies....the flesh. We WILL live for eternity spiritually in either one of two places....heaven or hell. Look what Hebrews says:

Hebrews 9:27-28 (New King James Version)

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation

So I guess my question this morning for all of us is are we ready? The Bible never tells us we are promised those 70-80 years. We are not promised tomorrow. That is why we must accept Jesus today. For He loves us and died for us so we may spend eternity with Him!! Praise God and thank you Jesus.

Take some time and think about this today. Please do me a favor and ask the Lord to come quickly for my granddad. Thank you and God bless each of you.

Tom

Monday, May 25, 2009

Thank you....

To those men and women who have sacrificed their lives so we can worship freely. We are for ever thankful.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Cell phone vs. The Bible


I received an email some time ago that really spoke about the times we live in right now that I would like to share with you. Feel free to share it with others. I believe it really made the kids in my youth group do some thinking. It should make all of us do some thinking. Here it is:





> Cell Phone vs. Bible
>
> Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like
> we treat our
> cell phone?
>
>
> What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
>
>
> What if we flipped through it several times a day?
>
>
> What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
>
>
> What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
>
>
> What if we treated it like we couldn't live without
> it?
>
>
> What if we gave it to the Kids as gifts?
>
>
> What if we used it when we traveled?
>
>
> What if we used it in case of emergency?
>
>
> This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my
> Bible?
>
>
> Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we
> don' t have to worry
> about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already
> paid the bill.
>
>
> Makes you stop and think, where are my priorities? And no
> dropped calls!

I want to ask you something? Has our cell phones become idols in our lives? In my opinion I believe it has. Now don't get me wrong a cell phone in its proper place is a great thing and very useful. But I am afraid it is not kept in its proper place. I have heard many folks say " I would die without my cell phone" and they were serious!! Remember what God's word says:

Exodus 20:4-5 (New King James Version)

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

The cell phone may not be made out of wood but we have created a monster. People risk their lives everyday driving down the road playing with their cell phones. I have even heard of a church who encourages people to use it during church...I guess telling others what the message is about....now how is that person using their phone worshiping God???

Go back and read the email again...some pretty good points huh? Let's use our Bbiles more than the cell phone and be sure we are not making our cell phones more of priority than God or His word!

Let me know what you think on this subject.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Pray for our soldiers. Be safe.

God bless....Tom

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Have ya gone fishing?







As I shared a few days ago my dad was in for a visit and we got to go fishing. It was a great afternoon on the water. Since then God has given me some thoughts about this adventure that I want to share with you this morning. For those of you who read your Bibles this probably won't be anything new but maybe a reminder of a few things.

If you recall Jesus rounded up a few fishermen to follow Him. Look at Matthew 4:18-19:

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

The first point I would like to make is the fishermen immediately dropped everything to follow Jesus. Are we willing to do the same? I know many hunters and fishermen who will drop everything to go hunting and fishing but are not willing to drop everything to do the Lord' work....these four guys were willing.

The second point is this. While we were bass fishing we would cast and reel in, cast and reel in. Then every once in a while we would get a bite! This is much like being fishers of men with the gospel. We cast the word to one and they are not interested so we reel in. We cast to another one and they are not interested so we reel in. Then cast to another and BAM we have a hit. They take the Word as we say in fishing hook, line and sinker!!! What a catch for the Lord. There is a major difference in fishing for men for the Lord than in fishing for fish. When we are fishing for the Lord all we are really doing is baiting the hook and God is doing the catching. Well now that I think about it when we are fishing for fish we bait the hook and God blesses us with a fish or not!!!

The third and final point I want to make this morning is fellowship. Jesus loved fellowship with the fishermen and the disciples. When we went fishing the other day a friend of mine took us in his boat. We had a great time talking and sharing the Lord's creation together. Enjoying the outdoors with lost friends is a great opportunity for a great catch!!! Take advantage of these times and share the bait (the Word of God) with them. God may bless you with a great blessing....leading someone to Him. On Monday I am going to do just that. I have a good buddy of mine coming into town to go fishing. He is not saved. Please pray for me and for him. I am going fishing in more ways than one!!! May the Lord bless me with a catch! And I am not talking about a bass!

God bless you this day my friends,

Tom

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 13 (Final of this series)



A beautiful day outside! Praise God for it and get out and enjoy it!

We have looked at four points over the last several days about how we pick and chose what God's word has said we should do. Today I want us to think more on God's word itself. Hebrews tells us:

Hebrews 4:12-13 (New King James Version)

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Did you catch all that?? His Word is alive, powerful and convicting! We can not hide from His sight and one day we will give an account to Him...wow...stop and think about these words for a moment.

I am afraid our nation has become like Israel. If we take time to study the word of God the similarities are almost scary. God told Israel what their problem was and it looks just like us....proud, stiffnecked, arrogant. We think we know more than God! The only time we want God around is when we have a problem...example 9-11. Everyone wanted God then. Church attendance soared. Over time though many faded away. When Israel turned away from God he chastened them. We as a nation have turned from God. Could it be God is chastening us??? I think so. Look at our economy. Don't expect to see a turn around any time soon unless there is a turning back to God by our nation! All revivals have started with a return to God's Word. Our nation CAN change and return to God but it must start with you and I. Joshua 24:15 says "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord". Are you and your family ready to make that commitment?

Take time to listen to this song and worship. Then get out God's Word and read it, study it and obey it!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22aad70815f91fae04e4

God please lead us to revival and back to you. Amen

Tom

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 12


Your note has been published.


I have had a great visit with my dad. We put a roof on my porch and yesterday got to do some bass fishing. My dad caught this carp which was well over 20 lbs. We caught some bass too! I am praising and thanking God for allowing me to spend time with my dad!!!

Now last time we were together we talked about how we pick and choose who and when we are going to forgive but that was not what God's Word tells us! Today I want us to look at how we pick and choose our worship. When I was saved I was filled with the desire to attend church and worship God pretty much every time the doors were open. Now I am not bragging when I say that I am just saying that when we give our lives to Jesus we should have a longing to worship him every chance we get. Look at these scriptures:

1 Chronicles 16:29-30 (New King James Version)

29 Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth.
The world also is firml

Hebrews 10:25 (New King James Version)

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

I like that first verse give the Lord the glory due his name .....how by worship! Bring an offering...how by going to church. In Hebrews it is pretty simple to see God wants us in church as He tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and He even tells us that some do forsake coming to church! Again as I have said before God's word is pretty clear.....He wants us in church to worship Him but it is a sad day right now in America as many of our churches are struggling as folks chose to worship other things than the King of Kings.

Now let me say this also we are to worship God outside the church too! Not only should we get our families to church but we should be leading our families in worship at home. Daily devotion and prayer should be standard in each of our homes. You have heard it said in the past the family that prays together stays together. I also think we need to open God's word and worship together.

There are also other times and places we can worship such as listening to Christian music, driving down the road, exercising, hunting, and many others. Let me say this though substituting a hobby like hunting instead of worshiping God at church is choosing to be selfish in my opinion. I have done it in the past myself. What is boiled down to was I wanted to hunt instead of going to church. Oh yeah I prayed well I was there but I was also forsaking the gathering of God's people!!! Now I believe you can worship while hunting but deciding to hunt over church is disobeying God!

So how are you doing in Worship??? Are you making the right choices? I hope and pray you are.

Have a great day in the Lord and worship Jesus today!

Tom

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Sorry!

My dad is in town visiting...I will get back to devotions on Tuesday!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ten Commandments #11



I come to you this morning with a heavy heart. A young man in our community drown yesterday afternoon. Jeremy Vandevoir was only 21 years old and will be sorely missed in our community. My prayers go out to his mom and dad, may God comfort you in this time of great sorrow. Today's devotion is dedicated to Jeremy.

Our third example of how we pick and choose which part of God's word we are going to follow is Forgiveness. I think when we first think of forgiveness some of us may think I do a pretty good job in this area. Oh really? God's word is very clear in this area and when I examine myself I see once again God's Word convicts in a very powerful way.

Luke 17:3-4 (New King James Version)

3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you,[b] saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Forgive more than once??? Well they don't deserve it and well you just don't know what they have done to me and my family!!! Sound familiar? It does to me. The Bible says as long as they ask for forgiveness we are to keep forgiving even if it is seven times in a day!!!

Matthew 6:14-16 (New King James Version)

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Oh my chew on this for awhile.....if we don't forgive God says we won't be forgiven. So what choice do we have in forgiveness???? None!

One last example....

Luke 23:34 (New King James Version)

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

As Jesus was hanging on the cross He prayed for forgiveness of those who crucified Him. Is there a better example for us than this?? Can anyone in our life wrong us more than we have wronged Jesus? We must be able to forgive as Christ has forgiven us!

It is not a choice it is a command.

Tell someone about Jesus today! We are not promised tomorrow!

Tom

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 10



Good Tuesday Morning to all. I pray God will use you in a great way today. Are you ready for what ever it is He wants you to do?

Yesterday in our first example of how we pick and choose what parts of God's word we want to obey, we looked at our first example which was our children. Today we are gonna look at Love! As I read through my Bible I don't find any options for not loving. Now I want you to really examine yourself this morning. Do you love others??

Matthew 22:39 (New King James Version)

39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to love others as ourselves. Now I don't know about you but this is extremely hard for me. I run into people daily who are very hard to love! They may have a bad attitude or they may cut me off when I am driving or they may not believe as I believe. I bet you have some folks pop in your head as you are reading this. Let me also say it is of my understanding that neighbor is basically anyone we come in contact with from day to day. Now let me ask are you a picker and chooser of who you love?

Let's go even a little further. How do you feel about Muslims? Blacks? Whites? or Hispanics? Or any other nationality? It has always amazed me how Christians can be prejudice. It must irritate God in a way I can't even imagine for any of us to disrespect his creation. No matter what nationality we are there are some bad apples in the bunch but on the other hand there are always some nice ripe apples to behold too! Look at this scripture:

Luke 6:27-33 (New King James Version)

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Talk about God slapping us up side the head! This is totally opposite of what we generally do. Meditate on this scripture today. Think about what it is saying. Pray that our hearts and minds will be shaped into the mind of Christ because this is the way he treated people. He loved with no strings attached. As verse 32-33 say above it is easy to love those who love us even the lost do that but loving our enemies that is what God expects from us.

Love all of God's created people....he has commanded it. Don't pick and chose for that is what those without Jesus do!

God bless and have a blessed day!

Tom

Monday, May 11, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 9


Your note has been published.

Return to the Word of God Part 9


First I want to say I am sorry for not posting a devotion on Friday. I went turkey hunting one last time with a friend of mine and was unable to get back from west Tennessee in time to get it done. I hope everyone had a great Mother's day weekend.

In our last visit together we talked about being doers of the Word not just hearers. To go right along with that we as Christians have created another problem in our lives which I like to call "Pickers and Choosers". What I mean by that is, if we are actually reading our Bibles, we pick and choose which scriptures we want to follow and which ones we don't. This is very dangerous!!! God expects us to obey all of His Word not just the portions we have decided are going to fit into our lifestyle. So with that said this week we look at several examples where we have done this in this great nation of ours.

The first example I want to look at is our children. I am positive this morning that your children are near and dear to your heart as are mine. I see myself and my friends and society doing everything under the sun for their children to ensure their happiness but there is one thing missing. One major thing! Look at this scripture:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (New King James Version)

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

How many of us spend time training our children in the Lord's ways? Look at how many hours we will get training for our kids in a sport such as baseball or softball. Hours upon hours and we will have them at practice at all costs. But when it comes to church we are very slack. We run late and skip Sunday school. Now in the long run which training will be of more value? God or the sport or the hobby? I also want you to look at the at home teaching the Lord has demanded. Look at the scripture again. It says to teach that we love God with everything we have....at home, when we walk, when we go to sleep, when we get up, and to put reminders all around us!!! Wow!

Brothers and sisters we need to look at the way we are raising our children! Does our nation appear like we are raising our children in the Lord??? We are putting way to many things in their way. I can think of one example right now that just jumps out...cell phones. The majority of kids I know if given a choice would pick their cell phones over God with out much thought about it. What about your child?

It is never to late to get on the right track with God but the older our children get the harder it is! Let's do what God has told us to do and pick and choose God!!! His ways have eternal value!

Have a great Monday!

Tom

Sunday, May 10, 2009

I am blessed!


I am greatful for have a loving mother. She has always been there for me and provided for all my needs. Thank you mom for everything you have done in my life. May God bless you greatly! Happy Mother's Day! I love you!


I am also blessed with a great wife who is a wonderful mother. Thank yopu Lea Anne for all you do for me and for the kids. We love you and appreciate you! Have a great Mother's Day!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 8


Lets get right into the devotion today. I ended with this scripture yesterday:

2 Chronicles 7:14

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

What an awesome verse! I am a firm believer that if we would get right with God as individuals and as a nation we would see some blessings that would blow us away. Unfortunately until we have a return I am afraid our economy and our values will continue to crumble.

God is very clear to us in His word that we are to be doers of the word not just hearers.

James 1:21-25 James 1:21-25

Doers—Not Hearers Only

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

This is soooo right on point. Our nation is the man who has forgotten what kind of man He was....a Christian nation founded on the Word of God! Today is the day we need to sit down and examine ourselves individually and see what kind of man we are. Again I must stress the point that if we are not in God's word then our mirror is broken because we can't even see what we are suppose to be!!!

Look at theses verses:

James 2:14-20 (New King James Version)

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

Once you become a believer you should be working for the Kingdom of God! Where are the workers? If your church is like most churches 10% do all the work and the other 90% complain about how the 10% are working! This should not be! All of us should be working it proves our faith.

I am gonna stop here today....PLEASE take time to reread the verses for today and meditate on them and let the Holy Spirit move through your heart and mind today.

We must be doers of the word.....the church is failing as a whole in this area....it is time to wake up!

God bless my brothers and sisters....I am praying for you!

Tom

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 7


Return to the Word of God Part 7

In middle Tennessee we woke up to some more rain this morning. We are pretty well full to the brim here with water but we are praising God that we have come back from that 3 year drought we have been in. Thank you Jesus!

On to the devotion.

Yesterday we talked about how ignorant our nation really is these days about the Word of God because we don't read it therefore we don't even know what God expects from us. Today I want to look at something that a few folks have done to our nation while we as Christians have set back and let it happen and now are asking "How can this be?"

Separation of church and state. If one would take the time to go back and study the history of our nation and what our forefathers thought and tried to establish it is very simple to see that they DID NOT mean that our government was not to be under the guidance of God. What they did mean was that our government was not to run the church. My oh my have we allowed this to get way out of hand.

Let me share you a few of the original state charters:

Rhode Island 1683: "We submit ourselves, our lives, our estates unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws given in His Holy Word."

Maryland: says it was "formed by a pious zeal to extend the Christian gospel."

Delaware was "formed for the further propagation of the Holy gospel."

Connecticut was there to "preserve the purity of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Wow...when I read these it really makes me think of what our nation was founded on....God's Word. I challenge you this morning to go back and due a little research of the how our nation was set up and by which principles we were to live by and tell me what you find.

You will find we were set up to be a Christian nation but you had the right to worship how ever you wanted if you even wanted. The majority of our nations first leaders made statements that we will crumble without God in our nation and leading out nation. I believe they were prophetic and did not even know it at the time.

Please, please, please do some research yourself....I want you to see it with your own eyes. I believe the evidence is easy to see....look around and see the blessings of past and of now what do you see?

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 6


Return to the Word of God Part 6


Good morning to all. I am about ready to see the sun! Seems as though in our neck of the woods it has been a long time since the sun has shown itself....maybe today is the day!

Yesterday we talked about how King Josiah had been given the Word of God and was overwhelmed by the nations falling away from the Word. Just the same we should also be blown away by our nations falling away from the Word of God.

Here is the thought I want us to think about today. I believe we live in a day where we are more ignorant of the Word of God than ever! Here are a couple of thought provoking but revealing questions we should ask ourselves and others:

1. Do you read your Bible? How often?
2. Do you ever or even rarely see someone outside of church reading or carrying a Bible.
3. Do you study your Bible? We need to dig deep to find what God wants to show us.
4. Have you ever read your Bible from cover to cover?

Think about this....God has given us the guide book for our lives and many of us who call ourselves Christians have never read the Bible from cover to cover. We can come up with all the excuses we want to but none of them will cut it. We watch three hours of T.V. a night on average but we don't read our Bibles. We read hunting magazines, Good Housekeeping, Sports Illustrated, John Grishom books, ect, ect,ect, but we don't have time for the most important words in our life that come straight from God.

Are we seeing a problem here yet? It seems pretty clear to me why this nation of ours is turning away....we don't even know what God wants because we are not in His Word.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Pray my friends for a turning back...PRAY!

I love you in the Lord...Tom

Monday, May 4, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 5


Return to the Word of God Part 5


Good Monday morning to everyone I hope you had a blessed weekend and took some time to worship the True and Living God!! On to today's devotion.

Last week we looked at some very obvious reasons why our nation is not 84% Christian as a news source reported during the Presidential election. So what is the problem with our nation? It is really quite simple. I found the answer in 2 Kings 22:8-13,20.

2 Kings 22:8-13 (New King James Version)

8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the LORD.” 10 Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor, the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.

20 “Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

As they brought the Word of God to Josiah the King, the king discovered the nation was not obeying the Word of God!!! Sound familiar? Look at the reaction of the King....He tore his clothes! He was in great distress at the nations rebellion to the word of God. Folks we should be in great agony ourselves at our outright rebellion to the word of God. God has blessed our nation for so long. I believe right now we are seeing a turning of God away from us. Why? Because we as a nation have turned away from His Word!!!

Look in verse 20...it tells us a great calamity was going to come upon Judah and up in verse 13 it tells of the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against them. Brothers and sisters this is where the good ole USA is headed if we don't get back to the Word of God! I really wonder if we as a nation have gone too far that we can't get back???

One last thing to look at for today....in verse 20 Josiah because of his faithfulness would be gathered to his grave in peace. Folks we have to do what God wants in our own lives first and then try to help others. Blessings will come if we do right in our own lives!

Our nation is dear to my heart as I am sure it is yours...this is a message we must get out....Return to the Word of God and obey before it is too late. We can have revival in this nation of ours but it must start with a return to our guide book for life...God's Word!

Have a blessed day and share this message with others....we got to get busy!!!

Love in the Lord....Tom

Friday, May 1, 2009

Return to the Word of God Part 4


Good Friday to all! I hope you all have a great day. It is raining here and everything is turning very green!!!

On to the devotion!

So far we have looked at 3 signs that out nation is not 84% christian as reported by a Cable news station during the Presidential election. I have one more sign I want to look at before we move on with some other thoughts. So here it is:

4. The church can't even get along!

Why do you think there are so many denominations? Basically it comes down to a difference of opinions about the Word of God or maybe it don't even have anything to do with God's word. So instead of working the problem out in love we split. What do you think God thinks about this? What are we gonna do when we get to heaven and we are all together? Let's look at God's word.

Romans 14:10-13

10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:


“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

As always we find in God's word what we suppose to be doing. It says not to be a stumbling block. Now let me be clear there are some things in God's word we must not be moved on for example.....virgin birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Those are fundamentals and there are many others but there are many things in God's word that are open for interpretation as God reveals to each individual. Here is where the problem lies though....many do not read their Bibles for God to reveal it to them they just take it from hearing another person not learning from the Holy Spirit through Bible study!!

Oh brothers and sisters in Christ....how can we bring others to Jesus when we argue and split over silly things like what color the carpet is going to be? Of my years in the church most of the problems arise over something that is of very little importance to the Kingdom of God.

So church lets get our stumbling blocks out of the way for one day we will stand before and give account for ourselves!

Chew on this for a while and let me know what you think....God bless.....Tom